Montgomery County prepares for Hurricane Sandy

NORRISTOWN ­— Bracing themselves for what some have called “The Storm of the Century,” residents across the area have prepared for Hurricane Sandy by stockpiling food and water and county officials have announced measures that the county has taken to ensure the safety of the public.

Starting earlier this week, consumers have stormed local retailers, buying large quantities of bottled water, bread, and nonperishable foods such as pasta and canned goods. In fact, consumer demand has been so high that, by Sunday afternoon, many retailers were running very low on those products and some have even sold out.

Along with large amounts of food, consumers have also been buying flashlights and batteries, which would become a necessity should Hurricane Sandy take out power for an extended period of time.

Additionally, in an attempt to inform the public of safety measures being taken by Montgomery County, County Commissioners Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards, along with several emergency workers and county employees, held a brief press conference on Sunday afternoon.

“We are not weather forecasters but we know that Hurricane Sandy will be a severe storm,” said Shapiro. “We also believe that it’s better to be safe than to be sorry.”

Richards advised all county residents to prepare for the possibility of being without power and homebound for several days, advice that has been heeded by many local residents.

“As always, we hope for the best but we want to be prepared for the worst,” Richards said. “We are asking that our residents are prepared to take care of themselves for up to three days.”

According to Richards, this includes one gallon of water per person per day, nonperishable foods, and a manual can opener in case power goes out. It is also recommended that all residences have a first-aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, and personal care items and toiletries.

Shapiro went on to urge residents that live near the Schuylkill River in Royersford to voluntarily evacuate the area due to concerns over flooding and that anyone else who lives in an area prone to flooding to do the same. In the event that residents do evacuate, three emergency shelters have been set up in the county — at Norristown Area High School, Pottstown High School, and Cheltenham High School — starting at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

“I want to make it clear that the Montgomery County government is not ordering, nor do we the authority to order, anyone to evacuate,” said Shapiro. “Anyone who feels as though they’re in danger or they have concerns can go to one of these three centers.”

Those that do evacuate their residences are advised to bring any medication that may be needed, cash, and any important documents that could be needed.

Finally, the commissioners warned anyone required to drive in the potentially dangerous conditions to observe all marked signs and do not attempt to drive on a flooded route.

In the event of an emergency during the storm, county residents are advised to call 911. For non-emergencies, the county has set up a special hotline, which will be active starting at 7 p.m. on Sunday, for residents to call at 610-631-9700.

In the event of power outage, contact the utilities director. For PECO customers, call 1-800-841-4141. PPL customers should call 1-800-342-5775 and First Energy customers should call 888-544-4877.

Meteorologists predict that Hurricane Sandy could bring 4-8 inches of rain in the area with damaging winds.

More information can be found at montco.alertpa.org.

Follow Tony Fioriglio on Twitter @TheTonyFiorigli.

The link below leads to a Storify collection, made by Dan Herman of The York Daily Record, consisting of social media users sharing their thoughts on Hurricane Sandy, and how they are getting ready for the storm: